Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a Bakul (Mimusops elengi) sapling at Lok Bhawan in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, continuing his stated daily tree-plantation pledge under the hashtag #OnePlantADay.

Context

Chouhan shared the act on X, writing: 'प्रतिदिन पौधरोपण के संकल्प के क्रम में आज अरुणाचल प्रदेश के ईटानगर स्थित लोकभवन में बकुल (Mimusops elengi) का पौधा लगाया' — 'In continuation of my resolve to plant a sapling every day, I planted a Bakul tree at Lok Bhawan in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh today.' He described the Bakul as renowned for its 'captivating fragrance, dense shade, and evergreen form,' and noted that it enriches both environmental conservation and biodiversity.

The minister also praised Arunachal Pradesh's natural beauty and biodiversity, urging citizens to plant saplings and care for them: 'आप भी पौधे लगाइए, उसकी देखभाल कीजिए' — 'You too should plant trees and look after them.'

Policy Backdrop

India's Green India Mission, launched in 2014 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, aims to expand and improve forest and tree cover across the country. A long-standing national target calls for bringing 33 per cent of India's geographical area under forest and tree cover — a benchmark that successive governments have cited in afforestation drives.

Arunachal Pradesh is among India's most ecologically significant states, functioning as a biodiversity hotspot and contributing meaningfully to national carbon sequestration goals. Symbolic plantation acts by senior ministers in such states are part of a broader pattern of aligning political visibility with environmental messaging.

Stakeholders and Impact

The Bakul tree (Mimusops elengi) is native to South and Southeast Asia and is valued for its medicinal properties, dense canopy, and aromatic flowers. Its selection for a public plantation underscores an effort to promote indigenous, ecologically compatible species over ornamental exotics.

Environmental groups and citizen afforestation campaigns have long advocated for daily, individual-level tree-planting commitments as a grassroots complement to large state-run programmes. A senior cabinet minister publicly modelling such behaviour is intended to amplify that message to a national audience.

What's Next

Progress on state-level afforestation targets and any follow-up plantation initiatives by the Agriculture Ministry are expected to be tracked in upcoming parliamentary sessions. Whether the #OnePlantADay campaign translates into a formal ministry-backed programme remains to be seen, but the public pledge adds political accountability to the commitment.